Live Life Free
by messengercat
Summary: The link between Irvine and Fisherman's Horizon on Selphie's insistance via a simple game of cards.


_A/N._ This originally came about from a conversation with j_merc about Irvine, and she pointed out that his character card was with Flo in FH, which was just really odd. So I started writing. Then stopped for...a very long time, and finally finished it last week. Not entirely sure if I like how it turned out or not, but it's different.

_Disclaimer:_ Don't own it. Never have, never will, just borrowing the characters.

**Live Life Free**

"There," she'd said, triumphantly laying down her last card. "And, I win!"

The glint in her eyes had been a defiant and bright, the first time in forever that she had beaten him in a fair battle of Triple Triad. She could probably have won without the final card, played just about anything else and still triumphed. She had played it for a reason.

"You got me, darlin', well played."

"Squall agreed to let me borrow it," she explained, smiling in that innocent way which had never meant innocent intentions, "if it meant I would stop hounding him to help personally with the preparations for the Garden Festival this year." Collecting up the cards she had won she paused over the one she had borrowed. "He said he'd won it at FH…"

There had been a question in her unfinished statement and he'd stared at the card instead of at her. He hadn't even known that anyone had bothered to create one, not before the war at least, let alone at Fisherman's Horizon of all paces. Just like all the other cards people had commissioned – Ma Dincht's of Zell or Laguna's of Squall – the likeness was uncanny. He'd never quite expected to see an official one with his face on.

He realised he'd been quiet for a little too long when she spoke up, "Was that how come it was so easy to get them to set up the stage for us?"

They'd probably assumed he'd used his charms like he usually did, "Perhaps so."

"You mean you don't know?"

There had been something almost sad in the way she had said it, so he'd smiled and told her that it didn't matter and did she fancy going another round. He'd beat her this time for sure.

But that answer hadn't been good enough for the ever-stubborn Selphie Tilmitt, which was how come he was back here again, staring down at the cluster of buildings that made of the 'town' of Fisherman's Horizon. He really needed to learn how to say no when Selphie 'suggested' they take a trip somewhere; it nearly always resulted in trouble for someone. Usually Squall. This time was likely to be no different.

He'd actually asked the commander before they left whether it was true that this was where the card had been, to which Squall had replied with a very firm yes, stating he had won it from the Mayor's wife, Flo. He hadn't questioned when or why the commander had been playing cards with the Mayor's wife when the Mayor had been so dead set against Garden's presence in FH, but it did make him question Squall's sanity.

"Well, what are waiting for?" Selphie asked, hoping up and down impatiently by the stairs, all weapons left in a locker so as not to offend anyone this time around.

"Nothin'," he replied and started the trek down towards the Mayor's house, the one place he had actively avoided during their stay here last time.

It was far easier, he found, to watch the young woman in front of him than to think about where she was leading him or why. Her intentions were good, the best even, but he wasn't sure that she wouldn't just wind up disappointed by the truth as all too soon she was knocking brightly on the Mayor's door, flashing him a reassuring smile over her shoulder.

Flo was the one who answered the door, her expression one of confusion as she saw the SeeD standing on her doorstep, "What are you doing here?"

"I brought someone to see you," Selphie said, quickly adding, "I'm not here on business, this is nothing to do with Garden."

Selphie was the only person who could have ever made him do this; Squall wouldn't have pushed the issue.

"How'd you do, m'am," he said, tipping his hat to her.

Flo gave an audible gasp, "Irvine?"

He nodded, "It's been a while, an' don't worry; I won't stay long."

The smack on the arm could only have been Selphie, "After I took the trouble of dragging you all the way here?"

"Key word there, darlin', 'dragged'." He pulled the Triple Triad card from his pocket, holding it out to Flo. "I believe this is yours. Squall said that the fans have plenty more he can win or confiscate, he would've brought it back himself, but, well... He didn't think the Mayor'd approve of his being back here."

"No," Flo agreed. "Nor any of the rest of you, he only made an exception for that other boy and his friends because they were too hurt to continue."

"So he'll let Seifer and his gang in, but not us?" Irvine laughed. "For some reason I just ain't surprised by that."

"You know he has his reason."

Selphie was getting impatient, her eyes darting back and forth between himself and Flo, "What reasons?"

"They never quite saw eye to eye," Flo said. "Dobe had hoped that adopting such a young child he would be able to convince them to see things his way."

"An' I just wanted to play war and run riot like we always used to at the orphanage."

"He tried and tried to teach you our ways."

"To be fair, I did listen, I just didn't follow through."

"No, and Garden was the last straw. Did you really have to join?"

"It was the only thing I was any good at, couldn't fish to save my life. And," he gave a small smile, "if I hadn't, I'd never have met Selphie and the others again. I chose the path that was right for me."

It was a simple story really, but just one he never liked telling because he felt sorry for Flo who had been so patient and yet fallen so far short of the mark. It was kinder just to leave his life between the orphanage and Garden to the imagination of the masses, but, for Selphie he was willing to at least try. That and he too had been taken aback by the Triple Triad card.

"Do you really still fight? Even now, after that dreadful war is over?" There was almost a touch of desperate hope to Flo's voice.

"Only when I have to, there are things out there, both monster and human, that won't listen to reason. If that's what it takes to protect the people I care about, I'm more than willing to fight when talk just won't cut it."

"I see." The hope vanished, and she tucked the card away in a pocket. "Thank you for returning this, but I think you should leave now before the Mayor returns."

"That we should," he agreed. "Sorry to have bothered you."

Flo didn't say anything more, turning away and walking back into the house, leaving Irvine and Selphie to retrace their steps back out to the bridge.

Yet he couldn't help pausing at the top of the stairs and looking back, thinking about the woman who had adopted him all those years ago and who still cared. It had been an interesting life while it lasted.

"I'm sorry," Selphie said quietly, following his gaze. "That didn't go at all the way I'd hoped."

"Don't worry about it," he turned his back on the town, leaning on the railing. "They mightn't believe it but I do remember what they taught me, in fact they taught me the lesson I live by the most."

She gave him a curious look.

"You have to live life the way that you want, and live it free no matter how much others may think you're insane for doing so."


End file.
